1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention is generally directed to stroller seats, and more particularly to a stroller seat with an adjustable calf support.
2. Description of Related Art
Strollers and stroller seats are known in the art that incorporate a foot rest and that incorporate a calf support. In many examples, the calf support carries the foot rest and is connected to a forward end of the seat bottom of the stroller seat. A typical calf support provides a rest surface between the foot rest and the forward end of the seat bottom to provide comfort to the seat occupant. This type of calf support can support the feet, and calves of a smaller seat occupant, particularly where the occupant's feet can not yet reached the foot rest.
On many strollers of this type, the calf support is adjustable between at least a raised position and a lowered position. The surface of the calf support can generally lie more elevated, parallel, or closer to parallel to the seat surface of the seat bottom in the raised position. The surface of the calf support can lie at a greater downward angle relative to the seat surface and hang or depend more downward from the seat bottom in the lowered position.
A typical calf support is retained in a selected position relative to the seat bottom by lock mechanisms on opposite sides of the seat. Each of the lock mechanisms typically has a button that must be depressed in order to release the individual mechanism. Thus, the caregiver must typically use both hands to release the lock mechanisms before being able to adjust the calf support position. With both hands occupied, it can be difficult, cumbersome, or awkward for the caregiver to then adjust the position of the calf support.
Some stroller seats employ a calf support with a wire that underlies the calf support and connects the lock mechanisms. The wire must be manipulated to release the calf support during adjustment. In one example, some strollers employ such a calf support and wire release mechanism. The wire release mechanism does not operate intuitively. In order to adjust the calf support to the raised position, a user must lift the calf support well beyond its intended raised position, locate the underlying wire, and then lift the wire to set the calf support to the raised position. In order to lower the calf support, the user must again lift the calf support from its current position and then push down on the wire to release the lock mechanisms. The calf support can then be repositioned to the lowered position. The release wire can be actuated using one hand, but the user must first use one hand to lift the calf support prior to adjustment. Thus, the user must typically still use both hands to adjust the position of the calf support because one hand manipulates the wire after their other hand grabs the calf support during adjustment.